Sheet separating, registering, and feeding apparatus.



H. B. GREEN. v SHEET SBPAEAIING, REGISTERING, AND FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION PIEED NOV; 29, 1913.

INVENTOR UNITED s'ra'rns PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY B. GREEN 0F WOODIBURY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPEED PRESS 00., OF CAMDEN, NEW J ERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHEET SEIPARATING, REGISTERING, AND FEEDING- APPARATUS.

To all whom. z't may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. GREEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Woodbury, county of Gloucester, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Sheet Separating, Registering, and Feeding Apparatus, of which th following is a specificat-ion.

My present invention relates to a novel sheet separating, registering and feeding apparatus, wherein I employ a novel suction roll and novel means for actuating the same, whereby the sheets being fed are not liable to be moved out of alinement during the operation.

It further consists of a novel construction of a suction roll having a plurality of bearings and provided with a rotatable valve sleeve adapted to register at predetermined times with a port in the suction roll.

It. further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying (lra win s one form thereof which is at present pre erred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be vanously arrangedand organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these inst-rumen talities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a sectional. elevation of a sheet separating, registering and feeding apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of a portion of the suction roll and certain of its adjuncts. Fig. 3 represents a plan View similar to Fig. 2 but having certain of the parts shown in section.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings :-1 have preferred to illustrate my invention in conjunction with a type of device corresponding in some features to that disclosed in my prior Patent, No. 1,039,521, granted to me Septeguber 24th, 1912.

""1 and 2 designate cylinders of a rotary printing press, the type being secured to the tylinder 1 in any desired manner. The cylinder 1 is driven in any desired or -con- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 29, 1913. Serial No. 803,758.

Patented May 5, 1914.

ventional manner and is geared with the cy1-.

inder 2, which latter is fixed to a shaft 3, ournaled in the frame of the machine. The shaft 3 carries, at each end a crank 4 to which is connected a link 5 pivotally connected with the pins 6, carried by a feed table 7, which is preferably inclined and adapted to slide in a frame 8.

9 designates a rear guide adjustable 0n thetable by means of a set screw 10, and 11 designates side guides, two of which are employed and which are laterally adjustable by fastening devices 12. J ournaled in the forward ends of the side guides 11 is a rod 13 carrying a desired number of depending fingers 14 which may be set in their adjusted position by means of set screws 15.

16 designates an arm fixed to the rod 13 and connected with one end of a spring 17, the opposite end of which is fixed at 18 to a side guide 11.

19 designates a separator which is adjusted by means of thgset screw 20 with respect to the suctionroll'21,which, as best seen in Fig.3, is provided with a longitudinal aperture 22 therethrough, and with a port 23 opening through the side wall of the suction roll, it being understood that the longitudinal aperture 22 communicates in any conventional manner with the usual type of suction creating device.

In accordance with my present invention, the suction roll is adapted to be continuously rotated, said suction roll having a pinion 24 mounted thereon, which meshes with an idler 25, said idler 25 being in mesh with the gear 26 on the cylinder 2.

27 28, 29 and 30 designate friction rolls or bearings adjust-ably mounted on the suct-ion roll 21 by means of fastening devices 31, 32, 33 and 34: respectively.

35 designates a valve sleeve rotatably mounted on the sucton roll 21 between the rolls 28 and 29 and provided with a port 36, which registers by means of the enlarged chamber 37 with the .port 23 in the suction roll at a predetermined time.

38 designates a link pivoted at 39 to the valve sleeve 35 and at 40 to the table 7, whereby upon a predetermined movement of the table 7 the suction port 23 will be opened or closed, as desired.

41 designates a pressure roll mounted in an arm 42 and provided with a gear 43 meshing with the pinion 24 on the suction roll 21. The rock-arm 42 is mounted on a rock-shaft 43. journaled in the frame of the machine and secured thereto by means of a fastening device 44.

45 desi nates an arm also mounted on the rock-sha t 43 and secured thereto by means of the fastening device 46. The rock arm 45 is provided with aprojection 46 adjustable thereon by means of a set screw 47, saidprojection being normally maintained in the path of a cam 48. a

49 designates a rod having one end pivoted to the rock-arm 45 and the other end passing through aguide 50, aspring 51 being provided between the guide 50 and a collar 52, whereby the projection 46 is maintained in the path of the cam 48 and the pressure roll 41 in engagement with the friction rolls 27, 28, 29 and-30, The cylinder 2 is provided with grippers 53 constructed and operating in the usual and well-known manner.

54 designates a guide for the sheets.

In the operation of my device, a pile of sheets is placed on the feed table 7 and the cylinders 1 and 2 revolving in the usual manner will reciprocate the feed table 7 and also cause a continuous rotation of thesuction roll 21, through the medium of the idler 25 which intermeshes with a pinion or gear 24 and the gear 26. The pile of sheets are centered by means of the rear guide 9 and the side guides 11, so that the forward edge of.

the pile just covers the suction port 36 in the suction roll. When the machine is 135 started, the feed table moves toward the suction roll and the valve sl'eeve'35 is partially rotated in any desired manner, in the present instance by .means of the link 38. The suction .fcauses the bottom sheet of the pile to adhereto the bearing members 27, 28, 29 and 30 and turn down around-the roll under the separator 19, while the balance of the pile :passes over the suction roll on top of the separator 19 and on the lower lips of the depending fingers 14, which latter swing under the pile as the feed table advances, owing to the tension of the spring 17 As the feed table advances farther, the separated sheet reaches the guide 54, which may also act as a stripper from the suction roll 21, where the sheet leaves the suction rolland the suction has no further action upon this particular sheet. The sheet passes between t e bearings 27, 28, 29, and 30' and the pressure roll 41, and at the proper time, the cam 48 strikes the projection 46, thereby rocking the shaft 43 in the rock-arm 42 so that the pressure roll 41 is disengaged fromthesheet, which latter is instantly fed forward to the gripping mechanism 53 in the usual manner. It will be seen that the engagement of the pressure roll with a sheet is controlled by a cam from which the feed table is operated so that the sheet is always 6 grasped for feeding at the same instance aoeavae from the rear guide 9, thus making inac- .curacy in the size of the sheet or in its separation from the pile practically immaterial.

Special attention is directed to the novel tension device emplo ed in conjunction with the rock-arm 45 w ich in practice gives marked and advantageous results. In devices of this character as heretofore employed, there hasbeen a tendency to vibrate or move back and forth when the pressure roll was moved into engagement with the suction roll. In my present device, the rod 59 which travels in the guide 50 carried by or forming a part of the frame of the machine-is'accurately guided in its movement and the spring 51 is located beneath the suction roll and has been found in practice to wholly overcome the improper movement of the pressure roll 41. The tension of the spring 51 may be adjusted b adjusting the collar 52 which is in threa ed engagement with the rod 59.

It will be seen that in my present invention a partial rotation is imparted to the valve sleeve to cause the same to carry a separated sheet into engagement with the pressure roll 41 and the friction rolls 27, 28, 29 and 30, while the suction roll proper is continuously rotated together with the friction members 27 28,29 and 30.

It will be apparent that the stroke of the feed table need not be varied for different sized sheets, since the forward movement thereof need only be suflicient to carry the separated sheets under the pressure roll, and by this construction, I am enabled to perform the separating step at a low speed and to draw the sheet out from under the pile ata high speed.

The suction roll 35 is preferably of less diameter than the friction members such as 28 and 29.

It will be a parent that the separating, registering an feeding devices may all be acting on the sheets at the same time so that. a sheet may be accurately fed directly into the grippers of the cylinder; for example, before its separation from the pile is accomplished. This is accomplished by using the pile guide as rear and side registers for the sheet and before separation is completed, grasping the sheet at a predetermined distance from the rear pile guide, so that the printing will always appear at the same distance from the rear end of the sheet. The bottom sheet of the pile is separated and fed forward with a relatively close feed between the friction member and the pressure roll,

Special attention is directed to my novel construction of suction roll and its adjuncts which is continuously rotated, and my novel valve sleeve e06 crating therewith, which is oscillated in or'er to place a suction on a sheet and release the suction at predetermined times. 4

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful sheet separating, registering and feeding apparatus which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the in- .vention andthe above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invent-ion or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a hollow suction roll having a suction port, of means to continuously revolve said suction roll, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on said suction roll and having a suction port adapted to register with said first suction port, means to oscillate said valve sleeve, and means to feed material into proximity to said suction roll.

2. The combination with a hollow suction roll having a suction port, of a valve sleeve loosely mounted on said suction roll and having a suction port adapted to register with said first suction port, means to continuously revolve said suction roll, means to oscillate said valve sleeve, friction members carried by said suction roll, a pressure roll cooperating with said friction members, and means to reciprocate a pile of sheets with respect to said suction roll.

3. The combination with a hollow suction roll having a suction port, of a plurality of friction members carried by said suction roll, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on said suction roll between two of said friction members and having a suction port adapted to register with said first suction port, means to continuously revolve said suction roll, means to oscillate said valve sleeve, means to feed articles into proximity to said suction roll, and a pressure roll cotiperatipg with said friction members. 7

4. The combination with a hollow suction roll havinga suction port, of a plurality of friction members carried by said suction roll, a valve sleeve of less diameter than said friction members and loosely mounted on said suction roll between two of said friction members and having a suction port adapted to register with said first suction port, means to continuously revolve said suction roll, means to oscillate said valve sleeve, means to feed articles into proximity to said suction roll, and a pressure roll cooperating with said friction members.

5. In a device of the character stated, a press drum, a suction roll continuously revolved thereby and having a suction port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on said suction roll and having a suction port adapted to registenwith said first suction port, a sheet 1 supporting table operatively connected with said press drum, and means to impart a partial rotation to said valve sleeve.

6. In a device of the character stated, a press drum, gripping means carried thereby, a suction roll continuously revolved by said press drum and provided with a suction port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on said suction roll and having a suction port adapted to register with said first suction port, a reciprocating table operatively connected with said press drum, and means coiiperating with said table and said valve sleeve whereby the latter is actuated at intervals timed with the movements of the table.

7. In a device of the character stated, means for reciprocating a pile of sheets, a continuously revolving suction roll having a suction port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on said suction roll and having a suction vport adapted to register with said first suction port and adapted to strip out the bottom sheet of a pile on the forward stroke thereof, and means'for registering said sheet before separation is completed and feeding it to operative mechanism.

8. In a device of the character stated, means for reciprocating a pile of sheets, a

continuously revolving suction roll having a suction port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted. on said suction roll and having a suction port adapted to register with said first suction port and to strip off the bottom sheet of the pile on the forward stroke thereof, a rear guide for the pile, and means for registering said sheet from said pile guide and feeding it to operating mechanism.

9. In a device of the character stated,

means for reciprocating a pile of sheets, a continuously revolving suction roll having a suction port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on said suction roll and having a suction port adapted to register -with said first suction port and to strip off the bottom sheet of the pile on the forward stroke thereof, rear and side'guides for the ile, and means for registering said sheet rom said pile guide and feeding it to operating mechanism.

10. In a device of the character stated, means for reciprocating a pile of sheets, a continuously revolving suction roll having a suction port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on said suction roll and having a suction port adapted to register with said first suction port and to strip off the bottom sheet f the aile on the men friction members mounted said suction roll& a pressure roll adapted to stroke tbere t to revolve W "with said first suctlon port and to strlp ofi the bottom sheet of thepile on the forward stroke thereof a friction member mounted to revolve with said suction roll, a pressure roll adapted to contact with said friction member at intervals timed with the move: ments of said rear ile guide, and means to actuate said valve s eeve.

12. In a device of the character stated, means for reciprocating a pile of sheets, a continuously revolving suction roll having a suction port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted thereon and having a suction port adapted to register with said first suction port, and to separate asingle sheet from the pile, means to actuate said valve sleeve, and

means for registering said sheet before separation is completed and feeding it to operating mechanism. 7

13. In a device of the character stated, means for reciprocating a ile of sheets, a continuously revolving suction roll having a suction port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on said suction roll and having a suction port controlling said first suction port and adapted to strip oif the bottom sheet of the pile on the forward stroke thereof, a friction member mounted to revolve in unison h aid au t s o l and levies a fe speed substantial equal to the speed otthe gripping dev ce 0 the operating mechanism a pressure roll adapted to contact with sai friction member at intervals common with the movements of the ile,-a grip ing device in the operatin mec anism, an. means to actuate said vave sleeve.

It. In a device of the character stated, means for reciprocating a pile of sheets, a

continuously revolving suction roll having a port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on the suction roll and controlling said port, devices for actuating said valve sleeve, a friction member mounted to revolve in unison with said suction roll, a pressure roll intermittently coiiperating with said friction member, a rock-shaft by which said pressure roll is carried, an arm on said rock-shaft a rod pivoted to said arm, a tension device or said rod, and means to actuate said arm.

15. In a device of the character stated, means for reciprocating a pile of sheets, a continuously revolving suction roll havin a port, a valve sleeve loosely mounted on't e suction roll and controlling said port, devices for actuating said valve sleeve, a triotion member mounted to revolve in unison with said suctionroll, a pressure roll intermittently e06 crating with said friction member, a roc shaft by which said pressure roll is carried, an arm on said rock-shaft, a rod pivoted to aid arm, a tension device for said rod means to actuate said arm, and means to a just the tension of said tension device.

HARRY B. GREEN.

Witnesses C. D. MOVAY, 'M. E. Brass. 

